Aim high and plan properly
Now that the Silver and Gold Qualifying expeditions are on the horizon, people are starting to think about their aim, so we are repeating this post.
Every Qualifying Expedition must have an aim, usually some sort of project involving all members of the group.
Note, too, that every group at Silver and Gold has to prepare and deliver a Presentation about their expedition, which is usually linked to the aim, so it is worth choosing something interesting, and agreeing how you can make sure you will have the photos etc for the presentation.
Notes
- Study in advance helps – online, or leaders can provide a course on plants, trees and birds.
- Advance preparation using suitable maps can make the activity much more productive.
- Many topics lend themselves to recording by photo/video.
- A number of topics lend themselves to marking up observations on maps.
- Each member can focus on a specialist task within an overall topic:
- e.g. Trees; Birds; Plants; Photos; Notes; Recording on map …
Some ideas others have used
|
Topic for Aim |
Topic area |
B |
S |
G |
|
Land use |
Geography |
B |
S |
G |
|
Weather observations |
Geography |
B |
S |
G |
|
Impact of tourism |
Geography |
B |
S |
G |
|
Farming |
Geography |
B |
S |
G |
|
Landforms |
Geology/Geography |
|
S |
G |
|
Glaciation features |
Geology/Geography |
|
S |
G |
|
Find and record interesting rocks |
Geology/Activity |
B |
|
|
|
Wildlife |
Nature/Biology |
B |
S |
G |
|
Trees |
Nature/Biology |
B |
S |
G |
|
Plants |
Nature/Biology |
B |
S |
G |
|
Pollution levels |
Nature/Biology |
|
S |
G |
|
Energy input/output |
Biology |
|
|
G |
|
Group dynamics |
Group |
|
S |
G |
|
M/F dynamics within group |
Group |
|
|
G |
|
Learn about each other |
Group |
B |
S |
G |
|
Effect of being off-grid |
Group |
|
|
G |
|
Learn a skill from one member (eg a language) |
Group |
|
|
G |
|
Supporting member(s) with additional needs |
Group |
B |
S |
G |
|
Record detailed timings for legs of route, with observations |
Group |
B |
S |
|
|
Take photos at agreed points and make observations based on a topic: land, nature, weather … |
Research |
B |
S |
G |
|
Video of Expedition |
Media |
B |
S |
G |
|
Photo record |
Media |
B |
S |
G |
|
Diary/blog |
Media/Personal |
B |
S |
G |
|
Poetry/song record |
Media/Personal |
B |
S |
G |
|
Sketches record |
Media |
|
S |
G |
|
Multimedia record |
Media |
B |
S |
G |
|
History of area |
History |
B |
S |
G |
|
Compare historic maps |
History/Geography |
|
S |
G |
|
Place names (Gaelic etc) |
History/Geography |
|
S |
G |
|
Religious/supernatural links |
History |
B |
S |
G |
|
Geocaching |
Activity |
B |
S |
G |
|
Alphabet observation |
Activity |
B |
|
|
|
Litter – mapping, collecting |
Activity |
B |
|
|
|
Map erosion on tracks |
Activity |
B |
|
|
|
Take photos of group at different points and map location of photos |
Activity/Media |
B |
|
|
|
Taking selfies as a group at main waypoints to create a collage of our expedition journey |
Activity/Media |
B |
|
|
|
Researching named features, notices, plaques … Perhaps part of a topic. |
Activity |
B |
S |
|